PHILADELPHIA — Even a day off from practice is a luxury for a hard-working NHL guy like Flyers center Sean Couturier. It’s awkward enough that even the recent session he was excused from triggered internal alarms in his bounce back from two serious back surgeries.
Couturier, who turns 31 in December, has played in only 77 of a possible 167 games since signing an eight-year, $62 million contract with the Flyers in August 2021. Load management used to be something he could smile about until he woke up feeling like he could use a break after playing the Flyers’ first two games in three days.
Make it three games in five days, two of those Flyers victories for Couturier, who is enjoying his role centering the second line, winning faceoffs (12 of 22) and when the time is right, converting penalty shots. The crowd appreciated it.
“It was great,” Couturier said after a 2-0 victory Tuesday night over the Vancouver Canucks. “Best fans in the league when you’re winning. I think (the goal) was a key moment in the game. We made it interesting, but we stuck together. We were tight defensively, killed some big penalties and Hartsy shut the door on them. Those are games we need to learn how to win.”
Goalie Carter Hart stopped 25 shots to register his sixth career shutout for the Flyers (2-1-0), who outshot Rick Tocchet’s Canucks (2-1-0) in the second quarter, 23-2, but didn’t find the back of the net. All the scoring was in the first period.
With 2:37 left in the first period of Couturier’s first home opener in two seasons he was awarded his first NHL penalty shot. He circled right near the boards, almost looking like he would skate behind the net. Couturier then made a sweeping turn on goal and as he approached puzzled goalie Thatcher Demko, turned his back as if to set up a backhand shot. Couturier then dug his skates in, pivoted and wristed the puck past the dumbfounded goalie to stake the Flyers to a two-goal lead that would stick.
“I have my move in my head,” Couturier said. “Remember Marty St. Louis doing it and scoring a couple of goals? I thought I’d bring it back. I think it makes the goalie think twice or hesitate. Just glad it worked.”
That easily was the highlight of not just the first period featuring textbook passing from the Canucks, and opportunistic scoring by the Flyers, but the game.
Yegor Zamula gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead in the first two minutes of play with his first NHL goal. Zamula got the puck at the point from Scott Laughton, waited for Canucks forward Connor Garland, hunched low in a blocking pose to glide by him, then wristed the puck past Demko.
The second period was like an Artificial Intelligence grab, the Flyers raining shots on the Canucks but getting absolutely nothing concrete for their labors.
Couturier’s 181st career goal was the game-changer, and that will make the bumps and bruises from this game a little less painful.
“I guess my body is not used to that anymore,” Couturier said. “It’s starting to get back into rhythm. It’s just precautionary. Got that extra day and I felt better today. It is what it is but it’s part of the business. It’s more about the two points. It’s the end of the game that matters. If I feel good enough to help this team and get the two points, that’s what I will do.”
Slowly but surely, Couturier seems to be getting comfortable being back on the ice with his teammates. With one goal and one assist in three games, he is feeling the burn that made him the guy the Flyers invested that big contract in. He would love to prove he can play a complete season for the first time since 2017-18.
“Glad it’s behind me now,” Couturier said of the goal. “I’m just focused, and no more attention on that.”
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NOTES >> Bill Barber and Paul Holmgren were all dressed up and part of the festive first night for the Flyers. … Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen sat out his third straight game due to injury. … Centerman Morgan Frost and defenseman Emil Andrae were scratched.
Source: Berkshire mont